Southeast DC residents want crosswalk, speed bumps placed on street where boy was killed

WASHINGTON - The family and neighbors of a 6-year-old boy killed after being struck by a car in Southeast D.C. are demanding for the city to take action before another life is lost.

It was Xavier Luckey's sixth birthday when he tragically lost his life while crossing Livingston Road Wednesday night.

The speed limit on this stretch of road is 25 miles per hour. It is 15 miles per hour when the school nearby is in session. Yet, residents say cars continue to speed down this street at high speeds.

While the horrific crash is still under investigation, speeding is clearly a problem on this street and Luckey's family members along with their community are asking for speed bumps and a crosswalk to be placed on the roadway so it doesn't happen to someone else.

On Thursday night, FOX 5 witnessed several vehicles speeding past the vigil held for the 6-year-old boy at a high rate of speed. Livingston Road runs between a housing complex and a playground, and the area is filled with kids.

At around 11 p.m. Thursday on Livingston Road, a car zoomed past us at highway speeds. Police quickly caught up with the driver and our camera was rolling as he was arrested.

FOX 5 asked Mayor Muriel Bowser's office what will be done about this. They sent a statement saying signs will be posted over the weekend alerting drivers that pedestrians cross in this area.

They also plan to gather data "to determine if crosswalks or additional traffic calming measures such as speed humps will help mitigate safety concerns."

We asked D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) if something can be done sooner.

"We really need to push the director of DDOT to put the speed bumps out for this area and other areas that has been plagued by a lot of speeding for the past couple of years," said White. "We are going to press the issue. I know the mayor and her office gave a statement, but simply we need a speed bump because this could have been avoided."

He added, "Signs are not good enough. We have seen signs there and the incident happened where signs are. It's a good effort, but it is not good enough to slow down traffic here. As you said, we have seen cars fly down this street just standing here right now."

White said he had the head of the District Department of Transportation in his office on Friday to try to get things moving faster.

A police source told FOX 5 that charges are not expected against the driver in the crash that killed Luckey.